CHAPTER VI
THE FIRST RUN
"How are we going to get it home?" asked Cole, as he and Bert, withthe Jamesville fire chief, went out to look at the hand engine. It wasin a shed, back of the place where the new chemical machine washoused.
"Can't you borrow a horse and drive it over?" asked the chief.
"No; let's get the fellows over here and pull it back to Lakeville,"proposed Bert. "That'll be fun. We'll wake up our old town by paradingthrough it."
"That's the idea," agreed the chief. "Your citizens need stirring up,anyhow. That was quite a fire you had over there the other night. Ifyou'd had a chemical engine like ours that blaze could have been putout."
"That's what it could," replied Cole.
"I had a visit from one of your men the other day," went on the chief.
"Who?"
"Mr. Sagger. He wanted to know, in case they had a bad fire inLakeville, if we'd lend 'em our engine."
"What did you tell him?" asked Bert.
"I said we were always willing to help our neighbors, but that wewouldn't lend our new engine. I asked him why they didn't have somesort of a department, instead of a bucket brigade, but he said theywere poor, and couldn't afford it."
"Why, he's worth lots of money," declared Cole. "He could support adepartment himself, and never miss the cash!"
"Did he say anything about our boys' department?" asked Bert.
"Yes, he mentioned it; but he laughed at it. Said it was only a larkof you lads, and would never amount to anything."
"We'll show him!" exclaimed Cole. "Maybe he'll be glad of our service,some day."
"I like the spirit you boys show," went on the chief. "If I can helpyou, give you advice, or anything like that, why, don't hesitate tocall on me."
They thanked him, and promised that they would. Then they again beganto discuss how to get the engine back, and finally decided to gettheir chums, make a trip for it, and haul it back in triumph thatafternoon.
A hand fire engine, as probably many of my young readers know, is justwhat the name implies. In the days before steam engines were invented,one manner of putting out fires was by hand engines.
The hand engines of those days, and the one which the Lakeville boyshad purchased, was nothing more or less than a big tank on wheels,with a pump to force the water from the tank through a hose. The waterwas poured into the tank by pails, so that a sort of bucket brigadewas really necessary. Then there was needed many pairs of strong armsto work the pump handles, or "brakes," as they were sometimes called.
These handles were quite long, and usually there were two of them,arranged something like those on a hand-car, used by constructiongangs on a railroad. There was thus room enough for several men orboys to take hold of the poles on either side of the engine.
Sometimes those working the handles stood on the ground, or, in caseof a large engine, like the one the boys had purchased, on top of thewater tank. The water was poured into the tank at one end and forcedout at the opposite end, through the hose. On some engines there weretwo lines of hose, and very powerful pumps, but, of course, theefficiency of the engine depended on the amount of water it couldthrow, and this, in turn, depended on how fast the bucket brigadecould fill the tank.
When the tank was full and sturdy arms were working the long handlesup and down, there was a steady clank-clank to the pump, and a streamcould be thrown for some distance. The engine was hauled to fires bymeans of a long double rope, which, when not in use, could be reeledup, as could also the hose.
Some of those old hand engines were very elaborate affairs, with brasswork and shiny lamps on them, and they were gaily painted. The one theboys had purchased had been a fine machine in its day, but was ratherbattered now. Still, it was in good working order, and had a longlength of hose.
"I'll tell you what let's do," suggested Cole, as he and Bert were ontheir way to Lakeville, to get their chums; "let's wait until afterdark to bring it into town, and then we can light the lanterns on themachine," for there were four, one on each corner.
"Good idea!" replied Bert. "We'll do it. And we'll march down the mainstreet, singing. I guess that will make a stir."
The plan met with instant endorsement on the part of their chums. Theygot together as many boys as they could, and late that afternoon thecrowd went to Jamesville. The engine, which had been put in goodshape, was ready for them.
"Look out you don't lose the buckets," cautioned the chief. "They'rehanging underneath the tank. Now, boys, good luck, and may your firstrun be a success."
They thanked him for his good wishes, and the lads, having grasped thelong rope, set out, dragging the engine after them. They made goodtime, and soon were on the outskirts of Lakeville.
"Now, wait until I light the lamps," said Bert, as it was gettingdark. "Then we'll start through the town, singing. Sing for all you'reworth!"
The boys needed no urging. They were full of enthusiasm over the newplan, and when the lamps were lighted on the old engine they gleamedon the brass work, making it sparkle brightly.
"It looks almost as good as new!" exclaimed Cole. "And them pumps isfine. They're almost as good as my force pump."
"Oh, let up on that force pump, can't you!" asked Tom Donnell. "You'dthink it was the only pump in town!"
"It's the only one of that kind," declared Cole, a little hurt thathis "patent" should thus be spoken of.
"All ready, now, boys?" asked Bert.
"All ready," was the general response.
They started off. Above the rumble of the wheels of the engine rosetheir voices in song, and, as they entered the main street of thevillage, people began to come out to see what the unusual excitementwas about, for the purchase of the engine was not generally known, fewpersons believing the boys were serious in organizing a department."It's a circus!" exclaimed a little girl.
"Naw, it's one of them Indian medicine shows," declared Moses Sagger,who stood on the steps of his butcher shop.
"Why, it's a fire engine!" exclaimed several men. "However in theworld did the boys get it? They must have borrowed it to have some funwith!"
"More likely took it without permission," said Mr. Sagger. "Somebodyought to tell Constable Stickler."
Down the street marched the proud boys, singing at the tops of theirvoices, the lamps showing off the engine to good advantage.
"Well, I must say those young chaps have a lot of gumption!" declaredMr. Appelby. "I wonder if they're going to keep the engine?"
"I wish there was a fire--I mean a little one, that wouldn't do muchdamage," said Cole. "I'd like to show 'em how she works."
"We might have arranged a bonfire in some lot and given anexhibition," suggested Bert, "We'll do that, after we have our companyregularly organized."
But the boys were destined to give an exhibition before theyanticipated it.
From down toward the end of the village street there came a cry.
"Fire! Fire! Fire!"
It was Constable Stickler's voice.
"Fire! Fire!" he yelled. "Kimball's haystack is on fire! Turn out thebrigade!"
It was a quiet evening, and his voice carried a long distance. Theboys heard it plainly.
"Come on, fellows!" cried Bert. "Here's our chance! The engine is ingood working order, and we'll have our first run!"